OWLS' COWHERD IS FRESHMAN FOR SECOND TIME

"Freshmen have to do it all around here," said Cowherd, the only freshman on the Florida Atlantic women's basketball team. "Freshmen have to do everything, go for this, go for that. Carry the camera equipment, which includes a VCR and a TV, carry the coach's luggage..."

Cowherd certainly couldn't have expected this, not after leading Taravella to a 27-1 record and the semifinals of the Class 4A state playoffs as a senior in 1988. She was the Sun-Sentinel Broward County Player of the Year.

Cowherd then enrolled at Florida State, joined the team as a walk-on, but never played.

"There was a lot of competition up there," Cowherd said. "I decided to go out and see if I liked playing for them. I didn't, actually. I stuck around for a little while."

Long enough to be part of the team photo, but not long enough to eat a year of eligibility.

Cowherd, a 5-foot-6 point guard, retained her freshman status as an athlete and enrolled at FAU before the '89-90 season. She is averaging 3.2 points per game, 10th on the Owls' 12-player roster.

"I'm optimistic," Cowherd said. "I like to think I can help the team into the postseason. And I've got three more years left."

Cowherd, the Most Valuable Player four years at Taravella, averaged 18 points per game in four seasons.

Her coach was her father, Stan Cowherd, now in his sixth year at Taravella.

Stan, who played on the Pompano Beach High boys' team that won the state championship in 1966, said Christy is a hard worker and an overachiever who was "tremendous for us in the halfcourt offense. FAU is more of a pressing, running team, different from our style. But with her, you knew you were never out of the game."

FAU coach Wayne Allen recruited Cowherd when she was at Taravella and was pleased when she returned to South Florida.

"She helps us a lot by giving us depth at point guard," Allen said. "She's a transition player and a good defensive player."

Cowherd scored eight in her first game this season.

"I was nervous, but once I scored it all came back to me," Cowherd said. "I relaxed, and it became no different than high school."

But it is different.

"Practices are longer, more difficult, and it's a lot different not playing for my dad," she said. "It was tough at the beginning. Grade-wise, I'm a sophomore. But everything's based on that I'm a freshman in terms of eligibility. That means I have study hall for two hours, five nights a week."

Her schooling continues on the court, where she has learned to play shooting guard, in addition to her usual role at point.

"Considering I'm a freshman, I feel I've played well when (Allen) has put me in and I've done what he's expected me to do," Cowherd said.

Christy is the oldest of five children, including Cindy and Stan III, who play at Coral Springs Middle.

"Cindy's the best on the team," Christy said. "She's averaging 12 points a game, but that's a lot for middle school. She's a point guard, too. Stan likes to play guard, but I keep telling him he's too tall; he has to play inside. He's 5 feet 9 now, but he'll be about 6-11 one day."